Politics

Politics

There are 1,056 posts filed in Politics (this is page 77 of 106).

Fighting graffiti on Raleigh highways

WRAL just did a story on the growing problem with graffiti on Raleigh-area highways like the I-440 Beltline, I-540, and I-40. City officials have always been quick to remove graffiti from city-owned and private-owned property, but all state-maintained roads are the responsibility of the N.C. Department of Transportation. Unlike Raleigh, NCDOT has dragged their feet in dealing with this issue and as a result the graffiti has spread.

I sent this email to NCDOT in April:

From: Mark Turner
Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 1:38 PM
To: Halsey, Steven M
Subject: Graffiti around Raleigh NCDOT structures

Hello, Mr. Halsey,

Here are some spots around Raleigh with graffiti on NCDOT-maintained structures. I figured it was easier to email you than call:

1. I-40 West, Harrison Avenue overpass: orange graffiti on northside columns.

2. Wade Ave. Ext. under I-40 flyover: brown graffiti on southside columns.

3. Wade Ave. Ext. East at Blue Ridge Rd: black graffiti on southside columns.

4. I-440 West (outer) between Brentwood and Wake Forest Rd: graffiti on brick wall.

5. I-440 West (outer) at Lake Boone Trail: graffiti on brick wall.

6. I-440 West (outer) at Lake Boone Trail: graffiti on median barrier.

7. I-440 West (outer) at Glen Eden overpass: graffiti on columns.

If you are not the right contact for this info I’d appreciate you forwarding me to the proper person. If you have any questions, feel free to call.

Thanks so much!

Here’s the response I got back:
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Sen. Hoyle’s anti-municipal broadband bill up for vote today

Sen. David Hoyle (D-Gaston)

Senator David Hoyle (D-Gaston) managed to get S.1209, his anti-competition broadband bill, scheduled for a Senate floor vote today after ramming it through the Senate Finance Committee yesterday. Though committee senators Joe Sam Queen,, William Purcell,, and Floyd McKissick were questioning the wisdom of the bill, Daniel Clodfelter called opposition to it “noise” and Hoyle openly rolled his eyes as Purcell explained that this bill will leave rural communities broadband wastelands. Presiding senator Clark Jenkins then cut off debate and quickly called for a vote, declaring it passed before anyone could object. Just when I thought I’ve seen stunning behavior in the North Carolina General Assembly something comes along that stuns me even more. There wasn’t one vote against this bill and plenty of lies told by Hoyle in support of it.

Hoyle also managed to put in an exemption for Google Fiber, though he clearly couldn’t explain what it was. This is the problem with me: when lawmakers regulate things they clearly don’t understand the result is bad law. The only experts Hoyle apparently consulted were the ones with checkbooks in their hands.

People tell me the days of back-room politics will soon be over but they’re apparently still alive and well. Hoyle can’t leave office fast enough for me. His idea of this being a “business-friendly” state means big business wins and citizens lose.

You can hear audio of yesterday’s meeting here.

Sen. Hoyle tries to block municipal internet

Sen. David Hoyle (D-Gaston)

Remember the battles against the big telecoms in the state to keep the cities’ right to own and operate their own Internet service? It’s time for round three, courtesy of Sen. David Hoyle (D-Gaston). He’s pushing a bill, S.1209 (the so-called “No Nonvoted Debt for Competing System” Act), that will hamstring North Carolina municipal Internet projects into using only general obligation bonds. Not only will this hurt municipal Internet projects, it will prevent initiatives such as Google’s 1 Gb fiber Internet. Bye bye, Google Fiber!

Previous attempts by Time Warner Cable, AT&T, CenturyLink (Embarq), and others tried to make the case that municipal Internet should not use taxpayer money. Now they’re saying these systems should use only taxpayer money, not the revenue bonds that they currently use. I think it shows their real motive is to block competition, sewing up Internet for themselves. With governments sidelined, they will be free to impose caps on Internet service, killing competition from video services such as NetFlix. The public loses.
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East CAC success

I conducted yet another successful East CAC meeting last night. We had about 25 people in attendance: not bad for a day of non-stop rain.

This time around, the streaming video worked flawlessly to carry video (and sound!) to an audience of five. Unfortunately, for reasons I’m still trying to fathom LiveStream did not save a copy of my meeting as it usually does. I’ll have to figure out why.

Next month, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker is on the agenda to discuss growth in East Raleigh. It should be interesting!

John Denver: still big in China

I was listening to the Beastie Boys’ Ill Communication as I was mowing the grass today. The B-Boys are Buddhists and their songs often have lyrics about Tibet. They’d never be welcomed with open arms in China, I thought.

Then I remembered someone who was welcomed with open arms in China: John Denver. Denver toured China in October 1992, playing multiple cities, apparently the first Western artist to tour there. I remembered someone telling me during my visit to China that his song Take Me Home, Country Roads was one of the most popular Western songs in China.
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Climate talk at UNC

I gave a talk at UNC yesterday on climate change from a national security perspective. This wasn’t an official “Operation Free” event but it came about from my association with Operation Free. I was invited by the North Carolina Conservation Council to speak to interested students on climate change. The talk was sponsored by Earth Day Revolution.

About 40 students showed up: pretty respectable considering it’s finals week! I was a panelist with three experts (I was going to say “other experts” but that would put me in their league). My ten-minute talking time was taken up with five minutes of the Pew Climate Patriots video, leaving me five minutes to tell my story. Well, it turns out five minutes isn’t enough – I had so much to say that when I returned to my seat I was kicking myself for not covering some items. Still, my speech seemed effective and I was told later that I did an outstanding job.
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Big telcos go after municipal broadband in N.C. again

It looks like the big telcos are trying once again to block municipal broadband projects in North Carolina. Legislation is expected to be introduced in the N.C. Senate’s Revenue Laws committee next week that will seek a moratorium on municipal broadband projects, allegedly because it will “harm state tax revenue.”

Please contact the folks below and let them know this bill is harmful to North Carolina:
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Famous family

Tonight at our dinner out, I was talking with the kids about people who shared last names with famous people. Just for fun, I asked them if they knew anyone famous who had Turner as a last name.

Hallie looked at me and said, “well, … you, Daddy!”

“Who, me?” I playfully scoffed. “What makes you think I’m famous?”

“Well, you’re on the Parks and Recreation Board and do all those neighborhood meetings,” she answered matter-of-factly. There was a look of pride in her eye and I wasn’t going to argue with her.

I live a crazy life between work, family, and community. For too many evenings to count, I’ve been in some meeting when I might have been putting the kids to bed, attending one of their practices, or some other event. It’s hard being away, and not always fair to Kelly, but I’m glad to know that Hallie admires what I’m doing. It’s a true honor being famous in the eyes of my kids!